-Slides in ever so discreetly- Err, hi? I know I said I would have the next chapter up by the weekend but y'know, that never happened and I feel terrible for how very short this chapter is. I think it was because I wanted to end it here but yeah…
I hope you like the chapter anyway.
I guess one would feel a fool to be found on all fours, skulking around as if in search for prey, especially when one is in a perfectly sophisticated living room, occupied by a somewhat less willing-to-romp-around-unsophisticatedly boy. And then again, one probably would be taken a fool by the now more slender black and ginger cat sitting upon the back of the loveseat. But maybe less of a fool to the playfulness of one's many balls of fluff that scurry across the floor, searching for clever hiding places in which they can hurriedly squeeze into. Sirius Black who so happens to be on all fours and scouring the area for the many kittens who refuse to do anything but play and sleep, plays this certain fool. Sirius finds he shares something similar in this outlook the kittens have for he too chooses to do no more than play and sleep, but it's a wondering if one should be proud of this.
"Hey, Sirius, I think I saw one in the loveseat." James Potter suggests helpfully from his place by the fireplace, watching the Black almost smugly as he crosses his arms across his chest. A small growth spurt had come upon the messy haired boy and he was now an inch taller than Sirius, immaturely boosting his ego somewhat.
"Thanks." Sirius hissed with a nod as he rounded upon the unsuspecting red colored loveseat. With an almost predatory yelp, Sirius dove at the couch and several mews were heard. Grinning at the five, fluffy little heads that poked out of every little crack that could be found in a couch, Sirius said, "Well, I'd have to say that you need to find better hiding places. Not all five of you can hide here at once, y'know."
Protesting meows were heard and their mother almost seemed to chuckle as she glided over, nuzzling each and every one of them out of their hiding places. Sirius stood up and dusted himself off, turning to grin at his best friend whilst the other boy grinned knowingly back.
Autumn leaves fluttered by the windows and Sirius hurried over, flinging it open and grabbing at one. James followed, predicting this for Sirius had been doing this every spare second he got, and yanked the would-be dog Animagus back into the room, sighing at his best friend's overenthusiastic nature.
Sirius, ignoring James's disapproving gaze, grinned and threw his fist into the air in triumph, clutching tightly the now most likely squashed and crumpled leaf. "Got one! Finally!" Sirius cried, spinning around the room until he was adjacent to one of the loveseats and promptly collapsed on it.
The five other kittens soon joined Sirius, a few still mewing loudly, as they popped onto his lap. "Well, hello there, again. Come to visit, have we? How's it feel to be almost two months old and troublemakers that would make a poltergeist proud?"
A month, it was true. A month, nearly two, had gone by since the kittens' births and now they were ending the month of October and inching into November. And so the end of October spoke simply: Hallows Eve. And Halloween was what James was going to try and sneak into the conversation ever so discreetly.
James cleared his throat and Sirius looked up from his playing with Janus who always wanted to play no matter what, "So, ah, Halloween's coming up."
"Yeah…" Sirius trailed off, right eye twitching suspiciously.
"So…uh…would it be okay if we, ah, went Trick-or-Treating together?"
At first, Sirius seemed to think this over, making James even more nervous.
"Of course! I'll just need to cover up real well or someone will notice me." Sirius agreed with a grin and James sighed in relief.
"So…shall we?"
--
Sirius had never gone Trick-or-Treating before. He'd never been allowed just in case he escaped into the crowd, keeping the young Black heir under lock and key constantly. So, when Sirius first put on his ghost costume, he thought he was going to die.
"AUGH! I CAN'T SEE!" Sirius's muffled cry was ignored as James walked into the room, clad in his Merlin costume. "That's why we poke holes so you can see." James explained with a exasperated sigh, clopping, for he wore high heeled boots, over to help.
Taking out a pair of scissors that had magically appeared into James's hand, he slowly began twisting the cloth into a circular shape.
"Being a ghost is so over-rated, James." Sirius grumbled as he was allowed to see from his left eye.
"Oh shut up, Sirius, it was the only thing I could get at such short notice. You made me pull a whopper of a lie when I said one of my friends needed a costume. She knows I don't have many friends." The messy haired boy had started on the other eye and Sirius slightly flinched, "Watch the eye, I only have two of those y'know."
"Yeah, yeah…" After a minute more of fidgety silence, on Sirius's part anyway, James stepped back and observed his work with satisfaction.
The eyes were slightly crooked and the mouth was few inches from Sirius's own, making it almost impossible to see the boy's features.
"You're a natural, James." Sirius sounded ever so grumpy but James was used to these spouts. The boy didn't really mean to be grumpy; these changes in moods came and went, kinda like a dog in its own right.
"MEW!" The shrill, loud screech startled the boys and they whirled around, or meant to anyway. The ghost outfit was a bit long for Sirius so it was natural that his foot was to snag when one moves too quickly.
"GAH!" Sirius cried as he fell to the ground, James watching the whole way. "Brilliant," was the boy's only comment and Sirius's grumbles were heard.
"Now, who was the one that dared to floor me?" Sirius boomed, his voice mimicking that of a wavering ghost's. A small ball of soft ginger, Elli to be exact, rolled out and popped its head into view and Sirius was nearly floored again.
Upon its head was a small, miniature witch's hat and it seemed that the other kittens were wearing them too.
Danu hopped to the hardwood floor, swishing her tail, and headed over to Sirius and the boy found her wearing the same though big enough to fit her head. She also wore a black cloak and she seemed to almost smile smugly at him, if a cat could smile.
"What-are-what-?" Sirius stuttered out, overwhelmed by the horrifyingly cuteness that the little hats brought out on the kittens.
"My idea." James admitted with a raise of his hand and a sheepish grin.
"Yours-?" Sirius choked out, his eyes almost poking out his sockets.
"Well, it's Halloween, isn't it? So I thought I'd dress 'em up too. Danu didn't complain." The aforementioned cat purred and settled herself into the black haired boy's lap, ignoring his bewildered expression.
"But-It's-It's-"
"It's adorable, isn't it?"
"You disgust me, James Potter."
"I'm sorry but nothing to be done about it."
Sirius grumbled, glaring at Danu reproachfully but she didn't even glance at him, just continued to watch the kittens play with their hats.
"Well, I think it's time for us to head out!" James stated, checking his gold watch.
Sirius nodded, shoving off the once-pregnant cat from his lap and standing up. "Great, I've got cat hair on me now."
"Well, that's too bad. Compensate, you're the Cat Hair Ghost or something."
"Hah, hah, that's original, James."
"I know, now come on."
And with a wave to Danu and her kittens, the two best friends hurried out, with Sirius constantly tripping over his ghost costume and nearly flying off the side of the tree house, and into a night filled with mock horror, candy, and monsters. A normal Hallows Eve if any, but then again, for poor Sirius and James, normal is not on the menu for tonight.
There. Hah, hah. I am an idiot, I know. I'm sorry if this is taking so long but plot bunnies are evil and other fics I want to write bug meh and eh…
But don't worry; this story shalt be finished!
Sayonara for now! -waves-